European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Consumer watch dropping Dollar not keeping them at Home by Mary Neth consumer editor despite a dropping Dollar. Americans in Europe Haven l slopped going downtown. Compared to to 12-year High of the Greenback in february 1885, the current Exchange Rales Are a Bummer. They Hurt but no one is in a panic in Germany where the majority of the american military in Europe is stationed the Dollar has been sinking alarmingly As of jul Psi io2.12 Marks ram that super High Exchange rate of 3.47 Marks 1 a years ago. Those who have enjoyed slipping across the Border o France for Good food and wins May not to taking the jaunts As often the nine franc Dollar rate has plunged to six. Similar Dollar tosses have been recorded against the Swiss franc and italian lira. Bui everyone agrees it could be worse. Ii was worse during the iranian crisis of 1979. Then the Dollar hit a record Low. Sales of German Marks to . Personal were Down to 1.69 to the Dollar. The Dollar bought Only 1.57 Swiss francs and 403 French francs. The Pound was valued at $2,19. So the Dollar it till far Tram the Bottom and you Don t have to search to find americans in local stores. Joy Leonard who lives in Maples Italy says the Dollar Dop in t noticed too much when it comes to smaller purchases. Ii does to for example keep the family from dining out. Big ticket items such As the monthly rent Are another matter. When we first signed our contract last october our rent came to $635. Mow we Are paying 1800 or she says the housing allowance her husband receives As part of his military pay Check just does t cover the amount of the currency fluctuation. According o her he is basically drawing pretty much the same As he was when the lira was up. She notes that the weak Dollar is a big topic of conversation among americans who arrived last summer Whan the Dollar was Strong. Not so Lor the old timers who Are used to a currency and Downs in Germany one of the popular shopping places for americans is the wer Kauf Chain. This is like a German Kmart says Richie Harris who works at the Darmstadt. Germany civilian learning resource Center. On a recent super hot summer Day Harris Pam Caughell and Rose Russi a military policewoman with the Page 16 the stars and stripes 256th up customs co were browsing at the German shopping Center for Harris possible Price advantages at an Exchange Are cancelled out by he the time and expense of gelling there we figure we would pay Amu Erneas driving around to different pcs to find what we on this visit to Wor Kauf Caughell and Russi have been eyeing the store s settee text of summer shorts and undresses. We lot around Ike we do Back tame.,. Use even German food Torea says laughed. We Foo on the Economy it to More convenient to shop in the German Russi nods in agreement we Don t have the Lime o go to cafes she says adding that she does t think prices Are All that Dilfer enl in any Case. Some things Ere cheaper some Are More expensive. In the German stores there s a larger selection and you can comparison Down few Alife. Spec. 4 Ken Clausen who is on his second German tour says he does notice a difference in prices this time around. When we were Over Here before things were less expensive. We used to really spend a lot of Money on this visit he and his wife Carol Are looking Al Lur Niilre. They have a new apartment and need above All things for the bedroom 1 Don t believe even with the drop in the Dollar that furniture prices Are As High As in the United Stales says Carol who notes though that they Are watching their spending. She says they Don t go out a lot except to places on Post the movies pizza shop. Wile americans in Germany still Dine out but no As often unless it s at one of the last Lood outlets. Wolfgang Fresa. Who owns the Ihl poster Sleak Haus near Bremen says about half his clientele is american. The moderately priced restaurant is on the fringe of own far enough away from the Lucius o. Clay Cavern in Gar Stedl and military housing areas in osterholz Schrambeck to require car transportation Frese has noticed a drop in his american business and sees a direct relation to the falling Exchange rate. He says that when the Dollar goes below the 2.50 Mark rate he always loses customers. If ins Amis americans did l come at All it would a Lough he says. He estimates that his business is off by about 10 percent ills summer compared to a year ago. Though dining in Middle to expensive Range restaurants May be in the doldrums fast foods Are still moving fast. In Mainz Kassel Jutta Zimmerman manager of the Kentucky Fried Chicken drive in Friday july 25,1966 restaurant says hot weather is the Only thing recently that has caused a Slack in sales. Americans who make up the majority of her customers practically slopped coming just after the bombing of Libya in april. Now they Are Back and the fluctuating Dollar does t seem to bother them. Sees. Stanley Ashford and William Owen recently had lunch at the Chicken restaurant the 6.80 Mark snack Box Fried Chicken Fries coleslaw. Bom had cokes 1 .50 Marks and Ashford had a 2.80 Mark porn on whih of. Fora local of 19.40 Marks at the Day s 2. 17 Mark to a Dollar Okcha nge rate that s $8.94 for lot they think the Price is right. The cafes Burger bar in t much cheaper says Ashford noting a prefers Burger King in any Case. The cafes mini breakfast though. Is Good and a bargain at 99 Ashford says his wife still does a lot of shopping on the she goes to Cha Hertie the Kau Halle he says. You can find Good buys. I get Blank video tapes cheaper downtown than at the pm Tor Bolh believe that prices in Germany beat those Back Home car Pletman �n1 As Chaery As Tho. Proprietors of last Rood chains. The Dollar slump is making it rough loin Terest people in new wheels. Tim Earl is an englishman who runs Aulo sales International not Lar from the main Gate of the Lucius 0 Clay Cavern in Bremen. A sign advertising a 1984 opel Kadet with european specs hanging on one Wall tells the Story. The car is advertised Lor 13.200 Marks but in parenthesis next to the Price there is the word negotiable " Earl says the major German automobile companies have Cut their retail prices to him on new cars by 1 0 1 5 percent because their models Aren t Selling response to the Exchange rate. T on Hia Hor Lorl is id b c0ncen1ralir 9 to e T Dollar sure Eart Zzz St a a Van use of rss us re Cuto y change rates daily because the Price of an Auto a save can fun Iii i re As much As $2.000 " Over ugh v us uate Randy Shade
